Intervening in the raging controversy over Uri Gowda-Nanje Gowda, alleged fictional characters propped up by BJP as the killers of Tipu Sultan, the Adichunchanagiri Mutt, the religious institution of dominant Vokkaliga community, not only stopped a film to be made by Minister Munirathna, but has directed Vokkaliga leaders cutting across party lines to refrain from raking up the issue that could insult the community.
A day after announcing the launch of the movie Uri Gowda-Nanje Gowda under his production house Vrushabhavati Productions, Mr. Munirathna on Monday announced that he will not go ahead with the production. His announcement came after meeting Adichunchanagiri Mutt seer Nirmalananda Swami here. It is learnt that the seer not only expressed his displeasure over the issue that could portray the community in poor light, but was against making of the movie.
Mr. Munirathna, who had earlier registered the title with the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce, had on Sunday announced the movie with a poster on Twitter, and had said that it would go under production on May 18. Higher Education Minister C.N. Ashwath Narayan was to write the screenplay, but distanced himself from the film late on Sunday evening. Revenue Minister R. Ashok and BJP general secretary C.T. Ravi’s photographs too were on the poster.
“I told the seer that I will not do anything to hurt sentiments of others. I told him that I will drop the film and not participate in the discussion around Uri Gowda-Nanje Gowda. After Kurukshetra, I was planning to do a historical film,” Mr. Muniratna said, after meeting the seer. Blaming former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy for his decision on the film, the Minister said: “I had no thought of making the film, but it was only after Mr. Kumaraswamy ridiculed that Dr. Narayan had told me to do a film, that I decided to go ahead.”
Meanwhile, the seer of Adichunchanagiri Mutt felt that without proper research on the subject, it is not appropriate to speak on the issue and cause confusion among youth. In a stern message to BJP leaders, he said: “Mr. Ravi, Mr. Narayan, Mr. Gopalaiah, or anyone who is talking about the subject has been made aware of the history. expect them to keep quiet now.” He also urged whoever had inscriptions or documents pertaining to Uri Gowda and Nanje Gowda should give it to the Mutt so that experts and historians could review it.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said they will abide by the seer’s instructions to immediately stop the making of a movie.
